Finland to close 26 refugee centers as number of applications drops sharply
In 2025, Finland will shut down 26 refugee reception centers due to a significant decrease in applications and a rise in the number of migrants who have been granted the right to reside in municipalities.
Photo: Elena Noeva, AdobeStock
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) announced the closure of 26 refugee reception centers in 2025–2026 due to a sharp decline in new asylum applications.
Compared to 2023, there were 45% fewer applications submitted in 2024.
Additionally, many current residents of the centers have already obtained the right to live in municipalities, reducing the need for temporary accommodation.
Elina Nurmi, Director of Reception Services, explained that the decision was made to optimize costs: closing 18 centers in 2025 will save approximately 21 million euros.
The interests of families with children have also been taken into account — relocations are planned after the school year ends.
According to Migri, around 2,200 people will be able to move to municipalities in 2025. Those not eligible for that will be transferred to other centers or may opt for private accommodation.
Migration service staff are holding individual consultations with each client to plan their next steps.
The list of centers to be closed spans the entire country — from Kemi and Vantaa to Tampere and Rovaniemi. The last facilities will cease operations in February 2026.
Earlier, the U.S. administration temporarily suspended the processing of green card applications for refugees and asylum seekers, citing the need for additional security checks and the detection of potential fraud.